The Consequences of Bathing
by The Rabid Bunny
Summary: Yuya relaxes in a bath while reflecting on the past year. Upon returning to her room, she gets a very BIG surprise. LEMON!


**A/N: Hello all. This is my attempt at righting the wrongs in the Samurai Deeper Kyo universe. This fic is heavily based on the anime, as I have yet to finish the manga. I'm at chapter 176 of, like, a million. In this, I try to answer the question as to the relationship between Kyo and Yuya. She's reminiscing about their travails, and then gets a BIG surprise. Yup, and in true Bunny fashion, there is a really steamy lemon. I'm talking all sort of citrusy juices flowing. So beware. Okay, on with it, I get it.**

**Please review. I await your words of praise or criticism. And, to my faithful readers, thanks for stepping from the norm to read this. You'll love it.**

**I do not own Kyo or Yuya, but I sure wish I had me a red haired, red eyed demon to molest.**

Consequences of Bathing

Soothing heat softens aching muscles and relieves sore joints. Whoever invented the idea of building a hotel around a hot spring was pure genius. I have made it my ultimate goal in life to visit every hot spring in Japan, and, with the way things have gone over the past year, I've come pretty darned close.

xxxxxx

It's odd to think that it's only been a year since my life took a complete twist. There I was, a fledgling bounty huntress, doing pretty well for myself with low-level bounties and what-not. Then, I came face to face with one of the most beautiful men I had ever seen. And he had a decent bounty on his head, to boot.

He was tall. Exceptionally tall for a native. And he was slender. Not slight of build at all, but muscular in a lithe sort of way. A man who had obviously done a fair amount of work in his life. His hair was short and shaggy, the fringe hanging in his eyes, and it shone a glorious raven's wing color. But, it was his eyes that struck me the most. They were a soft blue; the color of the noon sky in mid summer, and they were smiling brightly with a type of unbridled happiness that few carried in Japan those days. A shock for most around, surely, but not-quite-so shocking as my own emerald color. And, like myself, I was sure that people remembered him no matter how brief their encounter, just because of those eyes.

Like I said, he was beautiful.

Thankfully, though, I had a weapon to use against his charms, and it didn't take much for me to use my looks to get him under my control. With my own slender frame and petite build, I was able to bat my lashes and flip my corn-silk colored hair and soon had him hog-tied and ready to be turned in. That's when I found out who he really was, and who he carried inside of him.

Mibu Kyoshiro was a medicine man who had been wanted for his womanizing ways. He was_ not _Demon Eyes Kyo, like I had originally thought. Hey, the description on the bounty sheet wasn't really that thorough. All I was looking for was a tall guy wearing a white kimono with a yin yang on the back. How was I supposed to know that _all _members of the Mibu clan wore that symbol somewhere on their clothing?

So, I had used my feminine wiles on the unsuspecting Kyoshiro, all the while not realizing that he was not my original quarry. Then, all hell broke loose, and we were attacked by this random snake demon that had decided he wanted to get stronger by eating "Kyo".

And then, Kyoshiro had disappeared. I don't mean literally. Okay, so maybe not his body. That tall, well-muscled body of a god didn't go anywhere. Instead, his personality did a complete shift on me. Instead of the well-mannered, slightly girl-crazy Kyoshiro, I was suddenly confronted with the savage ferocity that was Mibu Kyo.

Kyoshiro's gently smiling eyes had shifted to the vicious beast-like eyes of Kyo. And they shone red like the fire of the deepest pit in hell.

That was the first time I, Shina Yuya, had ever known true fear.

I fell in love on that day, too. I just didn't know it.

Aahh, but that was so long ago, and so many things have changed since then.

I was allowed to tag along with Kyo, after he gained control over Kyoshiro's body, in his attempt to find his own body. That trip was the most difficult thing I have ever been through. Still, to this day, I don't understand why a blood-thirsty samurai would allow a sixteen year old girl to travel along with him. But I think he thought it interesting that I was searching for my brother's killer. Who just so happened to be Kyoshiro.

Yeah, that was a doozy.

The first time I saw the cross-shaped scar on Kyo's, well Kyoshiro's, back, I was stunned. I had been looking for the man with that particular scar; the man who had taken my brother's life. I just couldn't believe that it had been the sweet and kind medicine-man. When questioned, Kyo only told me that I needed to stick with my resolve to destroy the culprit, but that I needed to wait until he had his body first. This way, I could question Kyoshiro all I wanted. But, was Kyoshiro really the one responsible? How could I bring myself to kill a man who, to me, was the embodiment of peace?

Well, I would have to continue on my journey, and hope that he had a good reason.

xxxxxx

Why is it that every time I try to relax in a hot bath, I don't seem to be able to calm my nerves? Thinking about my brother's murder is definitely not the best way to cool down after a tiring day of walking.

xxxxxx

We have done so much walking over the past year. Between traveling to Edo for the tournament, to Aokigahara to retrieve Kyo's body, before finishing at the Mibu's stronghold, we must have traveled the entire length of all of the Japanese islands three or four times!

Along the way, we met so many interesting people. The Shadow Clone wielder, Benitora, the Red Tiger, had become a close friend, almost like a brother. He was usually the first person to show distress over any of my injuries, let alone my entire well-being which was a much needed change from Kyo's aloof attitude when it came to me. I swear that man only keeps me around for the occasional grope and to buy him all the sake he wants. Anyway, I later found out that Benitora was actually not a bandit at all, but that he was Hidetada, the heir to the Tokugawa shogunate. Yeah, color me surprised, too. That goof would soon be leading the entirety of the country?

Then, there had been Yukimura, the charismatic leader of the Sanada clan. Boy, was he a charmer with his feminine grace and beauty. His abilities as a samurai were almost on par with Kyo's, and it was just plain scary to watch those two in action. The Sanada ninja were a constant shadow during Yukimura's stint as part of our little group, particularly Sasuke, the cute little boy with the flaxen hair and cat-like eyes. Can you say bad attitude? I was almost sad when we parted ways with that group, but then I remembered Yukimura's temporary defecture to the Mibu side. Yeah, he had only done so to gain access to the final Muramasa, but it was still only a ploy to further his own gains as opposed to assisting anyone else.

And, Yukimura had helped Kyoshiro to hide Kyo's body after defeating him. I don't think Kyo really liked that.

Besides the Sanada bunch, there had been Okuni who had once loved Kyo. But, _he _had only ever loved Sakuya, so Okuni had taken up with his enemies. Of course, that woman was brazen and trashy, but I couldn't help but feel inadequate next to her. She just seemed so mature and _feminine _that I knew that I didn't even hold a candle. And, then Kyo had groped me in front of everyone while stating that I needed to grow more, and that I should ask Okuni for tips. I almost shot him right there. The inadequacy only grew from there, especially when I found out about Kyo's feelings toward the mysterious Mibu Sakuya, who was also loved by Kyoshiro.

Once, in the depths of Aokigahara while in the throes of fighting the first incarnation of Nobunaga Oda, the demon who would rule the world, Okuni had mentioned that I had become Kyo's weakness. She was the first, but she wasn't the last. I still don't understand what any of them meant. He definitely didn't treat me like I was special, and I'm sure that, even now that it is just the two of us traveling together, the mention of _my _name would not bring about the same reaction as did the mere mention of Sakuya's.

Both Kyoshiro and Kyo had been enraged when they had heard her name. I later found out that it was because she had actually loved both men, and had, in turn, broken both of their hearts. Still, even after being hurt by her, they both just reacted so strongly to her that I was made well aware that there was no way for me to keep up.

xxxxxx

Damn. Starting to prune up a bit. May as well get out of the bath and get dressed. No use sitting here sighing wistfully at the fact that the man I love certainly couldn't love me back. Maybe, if things had been different...

xxxxxx

That reminds me of Migairia. The odd man with the silver-hair, mismatched eyes, and mask that covered the bottom half of his face who wielded a Muramasa in cannon form that was a _part _of his right arm. He had seen the future and had been actively working toward changing it. He feared Japan's destruction and claimed that it was the coexistence of Kyoshiro and Kyo that was tearing the very fabric of time. Whatever that meant...

Now those were some impressive weapons. The five True Muramasas; one created each generation by the Mibu clan's venerable sword-smith. A man, who in all actuality, was a very peaceful soul with a great gift. It was Muramasa who taught Kyo how to wield his Tenro to its fullest potential; a feat that, until that point, could only be attained by Kyoshiro.

Everyone had been saying that the Kyo that I had been traveling with was a pale comparison to the man in his true form; the man who had nearly brought the world to its knees four years ago during the blood-soaked battle of Sekigahara, the outcome of which brought the Tokegawa shogunate into power. That was when Kyoshiro had finally defeated Kyo and locked his consciousness away, and that was also when Nobunaga had tried to make his second coming. When I finally got to see Kyo's true body, I think I nearly died. Well, actually, I did nearly die.

I had nearly frozen to death at the hands of Akira, a man who had once been one of Kyo's closest confidants and who had decided that he wanted to force Kyo into regaining some of his old glory. In Akira's eyes, I mean mind (the guy was blind, after all), Kyo had become weak in the past four years. Of course, it was lost on him that Kyo had been a dormant entity inside of Kyoshiro ever since he was defeated at Sekigahara.

That would have been the fight to end all confusion as to who was the strongest samurai in the nation, had it not been for the Mibu clan and their underhanded plotting and scheming. I later found out that the Mibu had wanted to use Kyo's body as a vessel for Nobunaga's return, and that they wanted to use the demon king in order to take full control as the ruling body of the nation. Wait, only one train of thought at a time.

xxxxxx

Whoo, this heat must be getting to me. My mind has begun to race with the memories of our travels, and I'm having difficulty keeping my thoughts in order. Okay, Yuya, it's time to get out of this bath...before I suffer from heat stroke.

Brrrr...It's just a bit cool outside of the bath. Now, where did I put that yukata?

xxxxxx

The chill that just moved up my spine and raised goosebumps across my skin makes the memory of the day that I nearly died at Akira's hands all that more vivid. I'll never forget the feeling as the cave that held Kyo's body suddenly turned spitefully cold as I lost control over my limbs. The others in the place froze as well, and it felt odd to be dieing the same death as two of my enemies. They were a couple of Nobunaga's lieutenants and Akira's new comrades, but apparently all the blind swordsman was currently worried about was stealing Kyo's body while releasing Kyo of his new weakness. Obviously, the idea of loyalty was lost to him completely.

And, again, with calling me Kyo's weakness. Didn't anyone realize that he didn't give a damn about me?

I wasn't some naive little girl who followed a seasoned and dangerous samurai around with a misguided hope that he would one day love me. I was aware that I had become something of an amusing trinket to him. I was his servant, good only to serve him sake, to have my money stolen, and to find him a place to sleep. Hell, I had even had to fish or forage for food, as well as cook whenever we were forced to camp.

So, I was standing there, surrounded by this huge block of ice, sure that I was about to meet my end. I desperately tried to find a way to free myself, but I just couldn't move. Just when the panic was about to take over, Sakuya showed up. How she had gotten there, I couldn't guess, but she gave me the means to save myself and the others.

Before she left, she told me to take care of Kyo. She said that he needed me more that even he knew. I didn't understand her at all. Here was the one woman who had Kyo's heart, and she was telling me to care for him? I had shaken my head at the thought before making my way out of the cave to where the others were. I must have misunderstood her.

But, then, Muramasa had said something very similar after he imparted his technique to Kyo. I still didn't understand those words at that time either.

xxxxxx

I wonder if Kyo is in the room waiting for my return, or if he's passed out from his evening sake. The air in the hotel in slightly chill, and the cold that is pressing on the walls from the outside promises another night of burrowing under blankets trying to keep my teeth from chattering too loudly. Kyo gets really cranky if I wake him up with the evidence of my inability to withstand the cold.

It's only been a few weeks since we left the Mibu clan's stronghold, and the weather still hasn't let up.

xxxxxx

I'll never forget making our way into the main part of the fortress only to find that Nobunaga had been resurrected completely by way of a prayer forced from the mouth of a bound Sakuya. The poor woman was strung up as if crucified and hung several feet in the air above the demon king's throne. Kyo had been furious.

The demon had been reincarnated into _his_ body, and I had finally gotten a look at what everyone had been trying so hard to find. My heart stopped for several moments, my chest clenching tightly, as I gazed upon the demon.

Kyo was a twin image of Kyoshiro, with his lean and sinewy body that would have stood so tall, and his face was a tormented shadow of Kyoshiro's visage. The differences were his hair and his _eyes._

Hair the color of blood-soaked fire flowed down his back in thick ripples.

Eyes the color of blazing rubies glinted with a malice that I had never even seen Kyo use while in Kyoshiro's body.

The creature inhabiting Kyo's body was strong. And, for what seemed like an eternity, our little band of compatriots fought and fought to try to vanquish it. It was just so powerful, and I feared that we would all perish. However, Kyo was able to combine the five Muramasas into one weapon to use against the fiend. At that point, I just knew we would be saved.

In the end, Kyo had needed to use the Suzaku, the final form of the technique that the sword-smith had taught him, and that was only barely enough to destroy the creature. As it turned out, since he was wielding Kyo's own body, Nobunaga was able to copy Kyo's moves. It was startling to watch as two fiery red phoenixes fought in the air above the stronghold. I was disconcerted as I saw them rip a hole in time and tear through another version of Japan that held metal buildings that soared through the air.

I don't know how he did it, how Kyo was able to draw from his own power, but he destroyed Nobunaga completely.

And, he took his body back, in the process.

We were victorious.

Kyo had his body back. Kyoshiro was able to atone for helping to try to bring Nobunaga back the first time. Sakuya had her men with her again. Benitora had obtained the strength he needed to rule. Yukimura had learned new information in order to further his quest to rule the world. Migairia had saved this time-line. Okuni had even been able to help Kyo to achieve his goal.

But, what about me? Where did a young girl who had turned seventeen somewhere in her travels belong in the scheme of things?

It was then that Sakuya had taken pity on me and explained the events that had led up to that moment. As it turned out, the Mibu clan had directed the history of Japan from the shadows for generations. That is, until they had decided to take control themselves and move into the forefront of history. Kyoshiro was to be the person to do just that. However, he did not like being the ruthless tyrant that the Mibu felt would be necessary to rule. He had loved Sakuya, but this persona would not allow for that love to develop. Thus, the Mibu had engineered a body to hold the traits of Kyoshiro's personality that would serve their purpose. And Kyo had been born.

However, Sakuya recognized the part of Kyo that had been a piece of Kyoshiro, and she had loved him as well. This caused the two men to loathe one another, and soon they were trying to destroy one another. The Mibu clan realized that they could not contain the small bit of Kyoshiro that was in Kyo's body, so they had decided to utilize the body that they had created by inviting Nobunaga back into the realm of the living. They had not realized that the demon king would not be willing to serve their purpose. That revelation was what forced Kyoshiro into action at Sekigahara and what led to Kyo's resorption into his body.

The problem was that, since he had become a sentient entity, the traits that had become Kyo's personality would not submit to being a part of Kyoshiro, so he had been locked away.

By the time she was done explaining the origins of Demon Eyes Kyo, my head was spinning. But she had more.

As it turned out, I was born to a very distant Mibu branch family, which is where I get my fair coloring. And that's where my brother acquired the three barrelled revolver that had become my own weapon. Apparently this branch family was not happy with Kyoshiro becoming the ruler of the clan, so they had planned to send assassins to kill him. He got to the assassins first. And my brother just happened to be one of those unlucky souls who had been chosen to try to kill the future king.

I guess I couldn't hold a grudge against Kyoshiro for protecting himself from his own would-be killers.

When I heard this news, I had withdrawn from the rest of the conversation. I was definitely lost by that point. I had no family, no continuing connection to those around me, and I no longer had my revenge. I really had no idea what to do.

xxxxxx

Could this hallway get any longer? I'm gonna freeze to death before I even find my room.

Tonight is almost as cold as the night that I nearly lost Kyo forever. That memory pulls another shiver from my body, and I can't help but to wrap my arms tighter around myself as I scuttle a bit faster to the safe haven of my, hopefully, warm room.

xxxxxx

The snow had been falling heavily when I decided to take my leave of the house that we all had used for recuperation. I was packed and ready to leave, so I had decided to say goodbye to Kyo and Kyoshiro. I had already said my goodbyes to Sakuya, and everyone else had already headed toward their own lives.

When I slid open the shoji to the room that Kyo and Kyoshiro had shared, I was startled to see that neither was there. Fear clenched my heart again, and I just knew that they had resumed their epic battle for who would remain in this world and who would be reabsorbed.

I ran to the only place that they could fight. Not far into the forest, there had been a clearing that rose to crest in a hill. That was the flattest, choicest place for two samurai to face off in a duel to the death.

The snow was whirling like a frozen tempest, and I could hardly see where my feet were taking me. I found Okuni and Migairia, who were standing at the edge watching the fight unfold. Migairia stopped me with a question, asking me if it mattered who was the victor. He told me that time would never right itself while both men existed, and that they would fight continually. Nothing more mattered to them.

I told him that I didn't care who was the victor. It didn't matter because they were the same. And truly I would have supported whoever won, but deep down I had my hopes. Only one of them would be able give up his past. Only one of them could walk away from what he had with Sakuya to be with me.

So, with that deep seeded hope, I made my way to the battle ground, calling out to both men. I called out to both Kyo and Kyoshiro, willing them both alive. I loved one, but I hoped for both to live.

One phoenix landed heavily in front of me.

One man found his way to me before he collapsed in my arms.

It was Kyoshiro's body. Somehow, Kyo's body had been destroyed during the airborne fight between the two birds. His face was the face that they had shared.

His hair, though short and shaggy, was the color of fire.

Kyo had lived.

Kyo had become the dominant personality within the body.

I mourned Kyoshiro while I held Kyo close to me, but I reveled in the feel of _Kyo_ in my arms.

xxxxxx

The memory of that cold day is bittersweet, and I find myself swiping a tear from my cheek as I enter our room. Kyo had insisted that we share a room as we traveled, on the pretense that he can protect me better this way. I think it's so that he can call his 'servant' to do his bidding whenever he feels the need for some sake.

I shake myself to rights just within the door-frame. He doesn't appreciate weakness, and my tears shed for Kyoshiro are a sure sign of my inadequacies. I search the room with a sweeping glance and find that Kyo is nowhere to be seen. It's odd for him not to be propped against the low window, fully drunk at this time of night. He must have gone for a bath while I was gone.

I decide to take this rare moment alone in order to be a _girl_. These days, I rarely get the opportunity to groom myself, as I almost always have a male presence in the vicinity, so I will definitely take a few spare moments to pamper myself.

First, I decide to luxuriate in the oils that the bathhouse has provided for the sake of my skin. I find the small porcelain container of the house brand and pull the top off with a flourish. I haven't oiled myself for weeks, as I haven't had much privacy of late. The lotion carries the lightest hint of sakura, and I can't keep in the blissful sigh as I inhale the fragrance in a long, deep breath. I dip my fingers into the cream and touch it to the skin on my wrist. Heaven.

As I luxuriate in scent of the lotion, I loosen the bathing yukata that I have worn from the bath. The room has a brazier burning merrily in the corner, so it is warm enough for me to remove my clothing as I make myself _feel_ feminine again. The robe pools to the floor, and I apply the sweet smelling balm to every contour of my skin; arms, legs, torso, breasts.

Now, to brush my hair. I usually keep my straw colored tresses pulled back into a low tail at the nape of my neck. It stays out of the way, and I don't have to maintain it much that way. It is not often that I get to brush it back to a healthy shine.

So, listening briefly for the sounds of my companion, I pull the ribbon from my hair and allow the waist length tendrils loose. My pick is one of long fine teeth, and I sigh happily at the sound of it combing through my hair. It really has been a while since I've been able to do this for myself, and I'm too caught up in the sensations of the gentle tug of the comb to realize that I have gained an audience.

Suddenly, I feel a dark aura that tenses every part of my body. My comb clatters to the floor, and I feel like a deer under the watchful stare of a wolf. I can't see him, as he is behind me, near the door, but I know that Kyo has just entered the room.

And I'm completely devoid of clothing.

"Don't look," I squeak as I drop into a crouch so that I can hide my body within itself while extracting my yukata from the floor.

His presence is overpowering as always. He doesn't have to say anything for me to know he's there, and it unnerves me that I'm so vulnerable to him. Especially now, that I have no clothing and no weapon. My whole body begins to tremble from the sheer force of his will that is weighing heavily in the room, and I can't seem to make my fingers work to pick up the discarded robe.

The feel of his arms wrapping around my waist and hauling me upright and against his body causes the trembling to stop. Now, I'm frozen in my place, shocked that he has deigned to touch me. Then Kyo's hands move around my front in a squeezing grope that has me instantly furious.

I shove his hands away and whirl on him, ready to unleash a rail that would make his head spin. My words die on my tongue as the look in his eyes cause _me_ to spin. My knees buckle...and he catches me, wrapping his arms around my waist once again.

Kyo's burning red eyes no longer hold their usual glint of anger and mockery. They are almost...soft.

I blink, trying to focus on the man's face. The mild glow of the firelight dances in his eyes, and his face holds a tenderness that I never thought Kyo could ever possess.

His hands are cool against my back, and I am suddenly aware that I am _very_ naked being held by a _very_ lecherous samurai.

The scathing retort that I have mustered dealing with the fact that I am very well aware of my short-comings in comparison to Okuni are forgotten as my mind falters. I begin to panic and my body reacts by trying to twist from his grasp. I don't know what's going through that man's mind, and I just know that there is no escape. I try anyway; my futile attempts at wriggling out of his grasp are halted when he tightens his embrace and pulls me hard against his body.

Those eyes rove my face as if he were sizing me up as an enemy, or...a meal.

I can feel the tautness of his muscles through his kimono, and I am made achingly aware of my lack of clothing. The distinctive press of a rather masculine appendage against the skin of my navel gives me a tiny inkling of what may be on his mind after all. I feel the heat of my flush rush across my features as I simmer with both anger and embarrassment.

"Kyo, what do you...mmmph..."

He pulls me even closer; my face pressed against his shoulder, and I cannot complete my thought. I feel the slight shift of the limbs that are pressing my body against his, and one arm removes itself from my waist to run its fingers through my slightly damp hair. He starts at the place just behind my ear and slides his hand along the entire length, allowing the blond strands to glide between his fingers.

Kyo leans his head closer to mine as he rests his nose against the hairline just behind my ear and inhales deeply for several long moments. I get the impression of him 'sniffing' my hair, just taking in my scent. But the intimate embrace is too much for me, and I try again to extract myself. I push lightly on his chest and shoulders with just enough insistence to make him aware of my discomfort.

When he raises his head and looks into my eyes, I gulp audibly. Maybe I should have just let him stand and smell me to his heart's content. The look in those crimson depths scare the hell out of me.

Desire. Need. Want.

No man has ever looked at me like that, and I had come to believe that no man ever would.

Leave it to Demon Eyes Kyo to completely rock my world just by looking at me.

With much effort, I collect the parts of my brain that have skipped off in some sort of silly parade of panic, and I try to tell him to stop. I love this man deeply, but there is no way for him to love me back. I'm perfectly happy with being his traveling companion, even his drinking buddy or baby sitter, because I know that that is all he'll ever be able to offer.

But, if he takes from me what I think he wants, I'll never be able to go back to that place.

His silence is beginning to wear me down. What with his usual nicknames of 'woman' or 'ugly', his silence in regard to me is rather disturbing. I can't stand the intensity in his gaze, the smouldering ember look that has only served to sharpen the heat in his fiery stare. I have to get away; perhaps another bath?

Ummm...Kyo, I...mmmph..." This time I'm cut off from escape when his hand removes itself from my hair and draws itself around to cup my chin. At that exact moment, the long fingers on the other hand extend to flatten across my back, and Kyo kisses me.

At first, I am shocked so badly that I don't know how to react. I redouble my effort to squirm away, but I am only rewarded with the hand across my back pulling my hips in even closer to the straining evidence of his excitement. My startled cry is muffled by his insistent mouth pressed against mine, and my eyes flutter closed on their own accord.

Kyo's mouth is firm and resilient against mine. He is not gentle, but he is not brutal. My head is reeling, and I'm near to fainting. The buckling of my knees elicits a sound from Kyo's chest that resembles a growl of approval, and he tightens his hold on me. I squeak again in surprise, and my eyes open wide when I feel his tongue dart into my mouth.

He devours, conquers, controls. And his mouth tastes divine.

I had never thought that a man could taste sweet, but Kyo did. There is no lingering bitterness of stale sake, nor is there the remnant of his pipe. His taste reminds me of the effect of trying to take a deep breath while standing outside on a bitterly cold day. He is harsh and demanding, but also refreshing.

I stand in Kyo's embrace as his lips move over mine, as his tongue twines with mine, and my mind coninues to reel. The fingers splayed across my back twitch restlessly and begin to stroke my skin in small patterns. His grip is like a vice, but his caress is soothing. I begin to relax in his arms; I know I'm safe with him. I've always been safe with Kyo.

A rumbling groan reverberates from Kyo's chest into mine, down my body, and to my toes. The vibration causes my stomach to clench and a taut feeling to settle in my groin. Not to mention, it brings my already hardened nipples to a state of painful arousal. I crack my eyes open, once again, to find that I have delved my own hands into his shaggy hair. My fingers tangle into the red mess at his nape, and I realize that I don't remember doing so. His reaction is worth it, though.

He breaks our kiss abruptly, as if shocked that I would have the audacity to touch him. I continue to massage his scalp with my fingertips; running them through his hair beginning at his crown and moving toward his nape. When I open my eyes in response to the loss of pressure against my lips, he is looking at me with his head tilted slightly to the side; curiosity is evident in his furrowed brow. I begin to think that I may have been too forward in my ministrations. Perhaps he is only satisfying his own needs, and does not wish me to touch him?

I can feel the blush return to my cheeks as I pull my fingers from his hair and allow my hands to drop to my sides. Tears sting the edges of my vision because I just don't know what he wants.

"I...I..I'm sorry...I just....well..." I don't know what to say to Kyo. I don't want him to stop. I try reading his face for a hint as to what he is going to do, but his countenance holds an emotion that I don't recognize. Those scarlet colored eyes still burn deeply, but the lines of his face are not sharp with the usual lines of hatred. He leans his forehead against mine as if collecting his thoughts, and I realize that one of us is trembling. It's not me. He sighs almost wistfully, but I still cannot read his look, as his fringe has fallen into the space between our faces.

We stand like this, with his one arm still holding me tightly and his other tangled in the hair at the base of my neck, for what seems like hours. Or maybe minutes. It gets to be too much for me. I am unaware of the intimacy between a man and a woman, and I have no idea how I'm supposed to act. And, true to my nature, I begin to fidget. My fists clench and unclench before trying to busy themselves with the heavy material of the yukata that is no longer hanging about my thighs. I had forgotten about my nudity. I take a deep breath and attempt to reason with the samurai who is holding me.

"Kyo? Please...I don't understand..." My demon's eyes flutter open, and my own eyes nearly cross at the proximity. He is so close to me that our eyelashes brush together, and I wonder how I have never seen how long his actually are. He eyes me for another moment at this close angle before seeming to come to a decision. Then, he _moves_, and I am literally swept off of my feet.

Before I even know what hits me, the hand in my hair slides around to brace my shoulders, and the arm around my waist loosens enough to cradle me behind my knees. I let out a startled yelp, but it is barely out of my mouth in time for me to react to being lain across the futon at the center of the room. Kyo places my body on display on the bedding and steps back as if to admire his handy work.

I lie on the pile of blankets looking up at him, trying to give this crazy man my best death glare. The glare is ruined by the full-body flush that I acquire by having my nude body thoroughly inspected my the object of my affection. That, and my hair is a tumbled mess thrown in all directions across the pillows. I can't seem to catch my breath as Kyo peers at me through his hair, a devilish smirk gracing the corners of his mouth.

I don't have the courage to object as Kyo's hands move to the obi that secures his kimono about his waist. All I can do is watch as he slowly declothes himself, that smirk growing wider as I know the blush across my body grows. Watching that man strip himself sets my arousal into motion, and I find myself rubbing my thighs together in anticipation.

It only takes a moment before Mibu Kyo is standing in front of me, completely naked and completely _proud_. I can't help but stare at his impressive body; from the flat plains of well-toned chest and stomach, to the sleek curve of his hipbones, to the strong contours of his muscular calves. Everything about Kyo just screams _man_, and I find my throat becoming alarmingly dry. I try to swallow but nearly choke at the fact that my body has suddenly forgotten how to produce saliva.

I can feel the panic rising, and I think Kyo can sense it because he is instantly hovering over my body, settling firmly between my legs and _kissing_ me breathless. I find myself forgetting my panic almost immediately while I meet his feverish caresses with those of my own.

His hands are everywhere. They run down my arms, over my sides, across my cheeks and brow, through my hair, between my legs. I can't get enough, and I try to use my body to tell him I want _more_. The sensations his hands are causing teases a tingling that pools in my very core, and I can't keep from bucking my hips against his to relieve some of the pressure.

Kyo groans at the feeling of my body pressing urgently against his. It is deep, dark, guttural, and sexy. The tingling in my center increases to near pain, and I can't find a way to ease it.

I feel both of Kyo's hands move to my thighs. He lets up from devouring my mouth to trail blazing kisses down my throat to my chest. As he laves, nips, and sucks at the flesh of my breasts, my demon's hands spread my legs wider to fully accommodate his body.

I am so focused on the feel of a hot mouth on my nipples that I jerk badly and cry out terribly when I feel his length enter my body. I feel little pain, as I had lived on a farm and had lost my maidenhead on the back of a horse some years ago, but it takes a moment for my body to stretch to fit him. I look down at Kyo because he has stopped his attention to my chest, and his body has become rigid and tense. His eyes are screwed tightly shut, and his face is contorted with concentration.

I lay beneath him, heaving for breath, trying to calm myself. I am not in pain; quite the contrary actually, but my body is taking time to adjust itself to the abrupt invasion. Like most other aspects of his life, Kyo had not been exceptionally gentle. And, now, he is forced to wait for me to relax because I can feel how tightly my body is clamping his.

As I ponder ways to relax enough to allow Kyo to continue with his endeavor, I close my eyes with a sigh. I dare to trace my fingers lightly along the broad expanse of his back and shoulders, humming softly to myself. After a few seconds, I feel Kyo's hands trail softly through my hair. He smooths it back from my brow and temples in what could be mistaken as a soothing action before he leans up to wreak havoc on my senses with another out-of-this-world lip-lock. I tighten my hold on his shoulders, and every muscle in my body loosens.

Kyo pulls his erection almost fully out of my body before pushing back in, in a long slow stroke. I can't help the throaty moan that escapes me, which seems to spur Kyo forward. I hardly have time to register what is happening before my body is overtaken by the sensations of Kyo's mouth, hands, and _body_ as he shifts into a pace that I have no chance of keeping time with. I writhe beneath him and encourage him by gripping him with arms and legs as I try to keep my wits about me. Each time he pounds into my frame, my vision blurs, and my thoughts are jarred.

Within moments, I am shrieking erratically and emphatically as I feel the tingling inside of me grow hotter and even more intense. Soon, I can't keep the tears from spilling as I don't know how else to react to being completely dominated by this man. I feel the tingling sharpen to the point of pain, and then...I am falling.

My heart pounds in my ears, and my whole body stiffens as wave upon wave of pleasure rolls from my center to every fiber of my being.

I vaguely feel Kyo's thrusts become more desperate and wild before his own body tenses above mine. I hear a soft grunt somewhere near my ear, and then he pours himself into me. The feel of his cock twitching with orgasm nearly pulls me over the edge again.

It is some time before I am able to draw a steady breath. When I am able to open my eyes with clear sight, I realize that Kyo has collapsed half sprawled across me. His upper body is to my side, one arm resting across my torso, the other propping his chin. One leg is very intimately snuggled between my thighs, and I suddenly become very aware of what I have just done.

I have just given Demon Eyes Kyo exactly what he had wanted from me.

I have let the most dangerous man in the world, a man who boasts about having killed over 1,000 men, take advantage of me. I have allowed myself to get caught up in my own fantasy, and I let Kyo _use_ me. My shame scalds me.

Urgently, I try wriggling my way out from beneath him. I do not get far before he tightens his hold on my body with his legs and uses the arm that was holding me down to draw my face toward him. I am not going to let him stop me.

"I'm going to have another bath. Please take the futon, and I'll see if there is another room available."

Before I have the chance to push my way out of his grip, I feel his lips ghost across my cheek. Then, he nuzzles the skin next to my ear before whispering, "stay." My mind goes completely blank for a moment, and I vaguely think that I may be losing my mind. Kyo just _nuzzled_ me in a manner that could have been construed as lovingly, and he asked me to share his bed.

I must have fallen asleep in my bath. This isn't real is it?

Then Kyo shocks me again by calling me the one thing that he never calls me. This one word evokes so much emotion that I abruptly come to terms with how he must truly feel about me. I may not know what is in store for us tomorrow or the next day. I may not know how long he will stay by my side. But that one word tells me that Demon Eyes Kyo loves me as I love him.

It is spoken softly, intimately, the way a lover speaks to his lady.

"Yuya."

I instantly settle, and find myself no longer feeling quite so alone. In this moment, I am right where I belong.


End file.
